Apparatus for refining glycerin.



No. 705,7I2.

Patented my 29, |902. l H. B. SCHMIDT & o. T'. JosLlN. APPARATUS FOR REFINING GLYGERIN.

(Application 1 ed Apr. '9, 1697.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

marbres N0. 705,7I2. Y Patented July 29, |902.

H. B. SCHMIDT & 0. T. JSLIN.

APPARATUS FOB R-EFINING GLYCERIN.

(Application med Apr. 9, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet `2.

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y e 9. f f f g M35' W`M i i UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

IIER'MAN B. SCHMIDT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, AND OMAR T. .IOSLIN, OFl

NEW YORK, N. Y.

` APPARATUS FOR REFINING GLYCERIN.

SPECIFICATION forming partgof Letters Patent No. 705,712, dated July 29, 1902.

Appncmmfnealipnig,1897. saranno. 631,393. (romani 1"@ all whom t may concern: f

Beit known that we, HERMAN B. SCHMIDT, a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, and OMAR T. JOSLIN, a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Refining Glycerin, of which the following is a specification. y

Our invention relates to an improved apparatus for refining glycerin; and it consists in the peculiar arrangement4 and combination of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in connection with which the 'in- Vention will be rst fully described'and then particularly referred t0 and pointed outin the claims.

Figure 1 is a compound view of our apparatus, the heating-coils being shownin plan y and the other parts partly in side elevation jecting baffle-plates d5.

and partly in central vertical section. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the still through line c a; of Fig. l looking to the right. Fig. 3 is an elevation ofA the left end of the still. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the opposite end of the still. Fig. 5 isa detail view, in diametrical section and upon a greatly-enlarged scale, of one section of the separator, a part of the shelf or trough being broken away to expose the parts back of the upwardly-projecting iange.

Referring to the parts, which are indicated by similar reference-letters Wherever they occur throughout the Various views, A represents the outer shell of the still, which is supported upon `feet d. wardly-projecting iianges anpon each end to formseats for the heads o2 and 0,3, which are secured to the shell A by bolts or screws` passing through the heads and tap ed into the outwardly-projecting flange. he shell A has cast integral with it an interior cylinder A', which is connected to the outer cylinder by partitions a4 and also inwardly-pro- The heads a2 and .a3 have perforated bosses aG and o7either cast integral with the'heads or secured thereto in any well-known manner.` These bosses form bearings for the hollow journals of the inner revolving cylinder l, one of the protruding The part A has out` journals being provided with a gear-Wheel ZJ, which meshes with the pinion b', secured upon a driving-shaft h2, which shaft is also provided with tight and loose pulleys b3 and b4, which are driven by a belt which receives its powerfrom any suitable source. l

The hollow journals of the cylinder B have swivel-couplings b5 upon their ends, to the inner one of which is connected the pipe b, which conducts the heating agent (preferably oil) from the heating-coil o7 to the interior of the cylinder, andthe other receives the pipe bs, which conducts the heating agent from the cylinder to the jacket or chamber between the outer shell A and the inner` shell A and the partition a4. The heating agent is carried from the jacket through the pipe b9 back to the coil U to be reheated by the pump C.

The cylinder B revolves in the glycerin, which is supplied to the bottom of the cylinder A through a pipe b1, the amount being regulated by a cock interposed in the pipe, and the purpose of the lower jacketed space between the partitions c" is to` prevent the heating agent from coming in contact with that part of the cylinder. A which contains the glycerin and forming a scale or decomposing and burning the liquid to be distilled.

The liquid to be distilled is carried up in a thin film around the revolving cylinder and is met by a current of steam, which is superheated by passing through a cast-iron coil D, thence through the pipe d,`which has a return-bend Within the terminal `Z911 of the coil b?, The piped enters the cylinder by means ,ofsuitable couplings through the head a3,

and the part of it within the cylinder A is perforated along its entire length to discharge the steam against the cylinder and downwardly in the direction of the liquid to be dis- ;tilled. By placing theperforated pipe in the IOC derpand the purpose of placing the .steampipe inside of the terminal coil,vthrough which the heating medium for the still passes, is to bring the steam to the same temperature as the oil or other heating medium before it'enters the cylinder A.

In order to present a clean bright surface to the revolving cylinder which carries up a film of the liquid to be evaporated, we have provided a thin blade or scraper E, which is mounted upon a rod secured in the cylinderheads and bears with spring-pressure against the periphery of the revolving cylinder B throughout its full length, thus preventing the formation of any scale or sediment upon the periphery of the revolving cylinder. Any sediment from the glycerin settling in the bottom of the cylinder A may be drawn off or discharged through the pipe as.

In the still the glycerin carried up by the revolving cylinder is distilled and mingles with the superheatedsteam and both distilled over together through the pipefto the bottom section of the separator F. The separator is composed of a series of flanged sections f, (shown upon an enlarged scale in Fig. 5,) each section having outwardly-projecting anges, by means of which the sec- .tions are bolted together to form the separator F. Each section has an inwardly-projecting shelf f2, which, with its upwardly-extending flangef, forms an annular trough around the inner wall of the section. Each section is provided with a cap G, which extends over the inner wall of ange f3 of the gutter andis supported above the shelf f2 by feetor angle-plates f4, which are riveted upon the shelf and to the downwardly-curved ange of the cap G. Through the shelf of each section,but on alternate sides, is a drip-pipe f5, the upper end of which extends to a plane slightly below the upper edge of the flange or inner wall of the gutter f3 and above the lower edge of the cap G to form a seal and prevent the escape of the vapor after passing through the glycerin in the shelves. The distillate entering the lower section is deflected by the cap Gr into the gutter. The glycerin being the heavier substance fills the gutter up to the top of the pipe f5. The unseparated vapors passing to the section above are again conveyed to the gutter until all the gutters are filled up to the top of the pipe f5 with the separated glycerin, after which the vapors bubble through the layer of liquid in the troughs and the separated glycerin overflowing from one trough to the other drips into the cone-shaped bottom of the separator and is then from there conveyed through a pipe f6 to the receiving-drum f7. To the top f8 of the separator is secured the condenser H, which consists of the pipe h, through which the escaping steam from the separator, is drawn, as shown, by the vacuum-pump J. The condenser is the cylinder H, surrounding this pipe h, andthrough the jacket between the pipe and outer shell of the condenser a stream ranged in a furnace-wall (indicated in dotted line) with a grate below to receive the fuel, an arrangement (not shown) by which the heat can be controlled, so that the heating medium when it enters the revolving drum can be kept at any desired temperature. It is not deemed necessary to use any particular form of furnace for heating the coils, as any well-known furnace may be used for this purpose.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The heating medium for the revolving drum (preferably oil) is heated by the fire in the furnace, and the circulation is supported by means of the pump C, first through the heating coils, then through the revolving drum, thence through the jacket around the drum, and back againto the heating-coils. The fire in the furnace :is so controlled that the temperature of the heating medium as it enters the revolving drum is that found most suitable for the liquid to be distilled. The liquid to be distilled is now run into the cylinder A', forming a shallow layer at the bottom thereof. The drum revolving carries a thin film of this liquid up, at the same time heating itto the distilling-point. The steam, which is preferably superheated to the temperature of the heating medium by passing through the coil D and the terminal ofthe coil lf', passes into the interior of the still over the surface of the drum, the contact of which is facilitated by the baflie-plates a5, and escapes, thoroughly saturated with the vapors of the distillate, through the pipef to the separator F. This vapor, entering the lower section of the separator, passes through the various sections from the bottom to the top through the successive compartments. During this passage the vapor is gradually deprived of the valuable parts of the distillate until it leaves at the top, steam only escaping through the condenser I-I. A small portion of the steam only is condensed in the pipe 7L and flows back to the top of the upper plate, thus preventing the escape of any glycerin.

By means of the above-described arrangement a distillate of any desired gravity can be drawn off from the bottom of the separator.

It is obvious that some parts of our invention, particularly the still and separator, may be employed with other structures and that an inferior modification of the still might be produced by omitting some of its parts. We have shown what we believe to be the best means ofcarryingoutourinvention; butfrom an examination of the same it would be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this ICC Ire

`our invention.

invention relates that many mere mechanical' changes may be made `insoine of the parts without departing from the spirit or scope of We therefore do not limit ourselves to the precise details shown. i l What weclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf l. In aistill the combination ot the outer case, a drum mounted to revolve therein, said drum having hollowjournals extending to the outside of the case to receive and pass the heating medium for saiddrum, the heatingcoil, pipes from said heating-coil to convey the heating medium to and from said drum', a pump interposed in one of said pipes to cause the heating medium to circulate through the drum and heating-coil, a pipe to convey the liquid to be distilled to the bottom of the case and in contact with the revolving drum,and a pipe to convey the distillate from the case,

whereby a thin film of the liquid is taken up by the drum, distilled by its heating, and the distillate passed from the case, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a still the combination of the outer case, an interior case forming a j acketed space between the outer and inner case, partitions for dividing the jacket into two chambers, the upper one to receive the heating medium and the lower one to exclude the heating medium from that portion of th'e case which contains the liquid to be distilled, a drum mounted to revolve in the case said drum having hollow journals to receive and pass the heating medium into and from said drum, a heating-coil, pipes from the terminal of said coil, one of` said pipes to connect with one `of the hollow journals of the revolving drum and the opposite coil to connect with the jacketed space surrounding the upper part of the drum,

a pipe to connect the opposite hollow journal i with the saidjacketed chamber, a pumpinterposed in the supply-pipe for the drum to create a circulation for the heating medium through the drum and chamber, and pipes to convey the liquid to be distilled to the bottom of the case and in contact with the revolving drum and discharge the distillate from the case, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a still the combination of the outer case, an interior case forming a jacketed space between the outer and inner case, partitions for dividing the jacket intol two chambers, the

` upper one to receive the heating medium and the lower one to exclude the heating medium from that portion ofthe case which contains the liquid to be distilled, a drum mounted to revolve in the case said drum having hollow journals to receive and pass the heating me dium into and from said drum, a heating-coil, pipes from the terminal ofsaid coil, one. of said pipes to connect with one of the hollow journals of the revolving drum and the oppo-` site coil to connect with the j acketed space surrounding the upper part of the drum, a pipe to connect the opposite hollow journal with the said jacketed chamber, a pump interposed in the supply-pipe for the drum to create a circulation for the heating medium through the Y above the liquid to be distilled and against v the drum, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a still the combination of the outer case, an interior case forminga jacketed space between the outer and inner case, partitions for dividing the jacket into two chambers, the upper one to receive the heating medium and the lower one to exclude the heating medium from that portion of the case which contains the liquid to be distilled, a drum mounted to revolve in the case said drum having hollow journals to receive and pass the heating medium into and from said drum, aheating-coil, pipes from the terminal of said coil,

one ot' said pipes to connect with one of the hollowjournals ofthe revolving drum and the opposite coil to connect with the jacketed spacesurrounding the upper part oi" the drum, a pipe to connect the opposite hollow journal with the said jacketed chamber, a pump interposed in the supply-pipe for the drum to create a circulation for the heating medium through the drum and chamber, pipes to convey the liquid to be distilled to the bottom of the case and in contact with the revolving drum and discharge the distillate from the case, a coil for superheated steam, and a pipe from said coil passing into the case end `and across the case parallel with the revolving drum, said pipe being perforated its entire length within the case to discharge jets of superheated steam above the liquid to be dis tilled and against the drum, and a scraper to bear against the periphery of the drum for preventing the formation of scale or sediment on the surface of the drum, substantially as shown and described.

5. In ay still the combination of the outer case, an interior case forming a jacketed space between the outer and inner case, partitions for dividing the jacketinto two chambers, the upper one to receive the heating medium and the lower one to exclude the heating medium from that portion of the case which contains the liquid to be distilled, a drum mounted to revolve in the case said drum having hollow journals to receive and pass the heating medium into and from said drum, aheating-coil, pipes from the terminal of said coil, one of said pipes to connect with one of the hollow journals of the revolving drum and the opposite coil to connect with the jacketed space surrounding the upper part of the drum, a pipe to connect the oppo site hollow journal with the said jacketed IOO IIO

chamber, a pump interposed in the su'pplypipe for the drum to create a circulation for the heating medium through the drum and chamber, pipes to convey the liquid to be distilled to the bottom of the case and in contact with the revolving drum andA discharge the distillate from the case, a coil for superheated steam, and a pipe from said coil passing intothe case end and across the case parallel with the revolving drum, said pipe being perforated its entire length Within the case to discharge jets of superheated steam above the liquid to be distilled and against the drum, and baffle-plates extendinginward from the case to interrupt the cnr-rent of the steam and deflect it against the periphery of the revolving drum, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the separating vessel composed ofa series of anged sections having inwardly-projecting flanged troughs,

said sections being secured together one above the other, heads covering the top and bottom of the sections, caps extending over the anged upturned inner edges of the gutters and supported above -the bottom or shelf of the gutter, pipes passing through the troughs, extending up into them and having their lower ends bent to prevent the vapors passing through said pipes and receiving vessel of the separator, an exhaust-pipe for the separated steam at the top thereof, a cooling-chambersurrounding said pipe and having inlet and outlet pipes for the cooling-Water to condense a portion of the steam and prevent the escape of glycerin, and an inletpipe for the heated vapors in' the lower section of said separator, substantially as shown and described.

7. A plant for purifying glycerin consisting of a still in which the vapor of glycerin is mingled With superheated steam, coils for heating the medium and s uperheating the 

